Dispensing container with snap action diaphragm



Jan. 12, 1965 D. A. HAYNES 3,165,243

DISPENSING CONTAINER WITH SNAP ACTION DIAPHRAGM Filed April 26, 1962 INVEN TOR.

Don A. Haynes H Q W Fly. 3. Any

3,165,243 DISPENSING CONTAINER WITH-I SNAP ACTIUN DIAPHRAGM Don A.Haynes, 1939 Osage Drive, Ukernos, Mich. Filed Apr. 26, 1962, Ser. No.190,356 2 Claims. or. 222-498 This invention relates to dispensingcontainers and closures therefor.

Heretofore there have been many containers rnanufactured for fluids, andpowdered or granular materials, from which the contents are dispensedthrough one or more small orifices. These containers have either hadopenings in the container proper, with separate closures therefor, orhave had dispensing caps formed of two or more parts.

The present invention provides a container in which the dispensingportion and the closure for the outlet openings therein can be formed inone piece, thereby drastically reducing the cost of manufacture.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide adispensing container having that portion thereof from which the contentsare dispensed, as well as the closure therefor, made in one integralpiece.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container with atwo-position, snap-action diaphragm having one or more orifices thereinthrough which the contents of the container can be expelled, and meanson the diaphragm which effectively closes the orifice or orifices whenthe diaphragm is in one position, and which opens the orifice ororifices in the diaphragm when the latter is in its other position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a removable capfor a container, which cap has incorporated therein the aforementionedcharacteristics, but which can be used as a measure for the contents ofthe container if desired.

These, and other objects will more fully appear in the followingspecification, when read in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side view of a container embodying theinvention, showing the container closure in closed position;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof; FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side viewshowing the container closure in open position;

FIG. 4 is a plan view thereof;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 55 ofFIG. 2 of a cap for the container; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 66 ofFIG. 4 of the cap for the container.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail, the preferred embodimentcomprises a conventional container 10 provided with a threaded neck 12having the usual opening therein through which the container can befilled and emptied.

Screwed onto the neck 12 is a one piece cap 14 which is of novel formand in which is embodied the present invention. The cap is made of arelatively flexible material and comprises an annular side wall 16 andan end or top wall 18. The side wall is provided with internal threads20 which engage complementary threads on the neck of the container sothat the cap can be readily attached to and removed from the containerif desired.

The end, or top wall 18 has an annular wall 22 extending outwardlytherefrom. Extending radially from the outer portion of the wall 22 is adiaphragm 24. The diaphragm is shaped so that it normally assumes a concave-convex form, either extending inwardly as in FIG. 5 or outwardly asin FIG. 6.

Integral with the diaphragm is a nozzle or spout 26.

United States Patent 0 3,165,243 Patented Jan. 12, 1965 An orifice 28extends downwardly through the nozzle and diaphragm through which thecontents of the container can be expelled. The nozzle is located at oneside of the center of the diaphragm 24.

Also formed integrally with the diaphragm and on the opposite side ofcenter thereof is a closure memher 3% This closure member has a smallprotuberance 32 which partially enters the orifice 28 when the latter isclosed and forms an effective seal for the orifice. The closure memberalso has a short extension lever 34 for a purpose which will presentlyappear.

As will be seen from the drawings, and particularly FIGS. 5 and 6thereof, the diaphragm 24, being of somewhat flexible material, willnormally assume either one of two concavo-convex shapes on oppositesides of a central radial plane through the edges of the diaphragm. Thusin FIG. 5, the diaphragm is convex downwardly. In that position thenozzle or spout, which is integral with the diaphragm, and the closuremember 34 engage each other, and the protuberance 32 closes orifice 28.

As will also be seen in the drawings, the diaphragm is integrallyconnected with the annular wall 22 which extends upwardly from the sidewall 16. Due to the Way the cap is initially shaped, certain stressesare imparted to the diaphragm, which keeps it in the shape shown inFIGS. 1, 2 and 5. In that position the orifice is effectively sealed. 7

If it is desired to open the container, so that all or a portion of thecontents may be removed, the lever 34 may be pushed to the right (asviewed in FIGS. 5 and 6). Due to the flexibility of the diaphragm 24 andthat of the annular wall 22, the diaphragm can snap past the radialcentral plane through the edges of the diaphragm and assume the positionshown in FIG. 6. There it will be seen that the closure 30 has uncoveredorifice 28 so that the contents may be poured from the container, orforcibly expelled therefrom, if the container be made of flexiblematerial as in the case of the present plastic or light weight sheetmetal squeeze containers.

The orifice 28 can of course be closed again by pushing the lever 34 tothe left (as viewed in FIGS. 5 and 6) whereupon the closure will againseal the orifice.

If, as is sometimes the case, it is desired to pour the contents fromthe container, and measure the same such as in the case of liquid soapsand detergents, the cap may be unscrewed from the container proper, andwith the orifice 28 closed, the cap may be used for a measure for thecontents by pouring the latter into the inverted cap.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides anovel container having a one piece nozzle or spout and sealing meanstherefor which is actuated by a snap action diaphragm.

I claim:

1. A container having as a portion thereof a snap-action diaphragmadapted to assume either of two concavo-convex shapes on opposite sidesof a central radial plane through the edges of said diaphragm, saiddiaphragm having an orifice therein and a closure for said orificelocated adjacent thereto, said closure being fixedly attached to saiddiaphragm and being separated from said orifice when said closure is inone of its positions and closing said orifice when in the other of itspositions, said closure being in the form of a lever extending outwardlyfrom said diaphragm.

2. A container having an opening therein surrounded by a neck, aremovable cap attached to said neck, said cap having as a portionthereof a snap-action diaphragm adapted to assume either of twoconcavo-convex shapes on opposite sides of a central radial planethrough the edges of said diaphragm, said diaphragm having an orificetherein and a closure for said orifice located adjacent thereto, saidclosure being fixedly attached to said diaphragm and being separatedfrom said orifice when said closure is in one of its positions andclosing said orifice when in the other of its positions, said closurebeing in the form of a lever extending outwardly from said diaphragm.

References Cited in the file of this patent' UNITED STATES PATENTS- GunnFeb. 19, 1935 Houghton Ian. 22, 1946 Bobbs et a1; June 12, 1951 SchaflerAug. 14, 1956 Livingstone June 2, 1959

1. A CONTAINER HAVING AS A PORTION THEREOF A SNAP-ACTION DIAPHAGMADAPTED TO ASSUME EITHER OF TWO CONCAVO-CONVEX SHAPES ON OPPOSITE SIDESOF A CENTRAL RADIAL PLANE THROUGH THE EDGES OF SAID DIAPHRAGM, SAIDDIAPHRAGM HAVING AN ORIFICE THEREIN AND A CLOSURE FOR SAID ORIFICELOCATED ADJACENT THERETO, SAID CLOSURE BEING FIXEDLY ATTACHED TO SAIDDIAPHRAGM AND BEING SEPARATED FROM SAID ORIFICE WHEN SAID CLOSURE IS INONE OF ITS POSITIONS AND CLOSING SAID ORIFICE WHEN IN THE OTHER OF ITSPOSITIONS, SAID CLOSURE BEING IN THE FORM OF A LEVER EXTENDING OUTWARDLYFROM SAID DIAPHRAGM.